


To The Song Of The End Of Day

by RivTheWriter



Series: Captain Vuler And His Vicar [6]
Category: The Outer Worlds (Video Game)
Genre: Celebrations, Cutesy, Drinking & Talking, Family Dynamics, Hope, M/M, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Slow Romance, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26693599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RivTheWriter/pseuds/RivTheWriter
Summary: Zeno Vuler, captain of the unreliable, a spaceship that travels around the halcyon colony, was sitting outside of the fallbrook bar. wiping tears from his eyes."I'm sorry, I just can't do it anymore." he said to himself. "The people are suffering and I don't want to be part of the problem!"
Relationships: Male Captain/Maximillian DeSoto, The Captain & Maximillian DeSoto, The Captain/Maximillian DeSoto, Zeno Vuler/Maximillian DeSoto
Series: Captain Vuler And His Vicar [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900453
Kudos: 3





	To The Song Of The End Of Day

**Author's Note:**

> Title from: monstrance clock by ghost

Zeno Vuler, captain of the unreliable, a spaceship that travels around the halcyon colony, was sitting outside of the fallbrook bar. wiping tears from his eyes. 

"I'm sorry, I just can't do it anymore." he said to himself. "The people are suffering and I don't want to be part of the problem!" 

He then started crying again as he looked at the sky.

"They're going to have to make some changes soon if they want this place to survive." he thought, biting at his bottom lip. 

He pushed off of the porch. wiping his eyes again and began walking back to the ship when he bumped into someone.

Vicar Max...

"Captain? are you okay?"

Zeno looked up. 

"...Vicar? What are you doing here?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you, my friend, we need to have a chat."

"About what?" zeno asked raising a brow  
.   
"About your future."

Zeno looked down and clenched his hands. 

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Yes, you do." Vicar max smiled softly "i can tell."

"How?"

"Because you're afraid."

Zeno snorted and looked away "I'm not afraid. you're being paranoid."

Vicar laughed aloud. 

"Zeno, don't insult me to change the topic and dodge my concerns. you know very well that I'm a very good at my job. I know how to read people and I can tell when someone is lying and is trying to change the subject."

"You're leading up to something."

"Am I? why would you think that?"

Zeno didn't answer, instead he just ran a hand through his hair "Alright, out with it then."

"I want you to stay here, not here in fallbrook. here. with the crew. on the ship. " Vicar said smiling.

"what? no."

"Yes. You need to be here with the crew. here. now. They need you. Captain. I.. I need you here."

Zeno looked at him. blinking a few times. "Alright, say that again." he said, slowly.

"please. max. say that again." Zeno repeated

"I need you to stay here... with the crew..."

"....and?"

"I need- no... i Want you to be happy. Captain"

Zeno stared at the ground. clasping his hands together "I'm sorry." he whispered.

"I want you here." Max smiled softly at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"Zeno. You're the best man I know. the best captain I know. being with you is what I want. Please, dont leave?"

Zeno looked up at him. at his kind face. the soft expression. 

"Alright... Yes." he said, turning to smile at him, Zeno's cheeks tinted red as he locked eyes with the vicar "I've made the right decision."

Vicar nodded and hugged him tightly "I'm glad... Now, let's go home."

After those words were uttered.. Zeno woke up in bed. rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

"We should probably get ready for the meeting with mister phineas, captain." Parvati said from the doorway, yawning softly and stretching, apparently ADA had woken everyone up.. "We got a lot of work to do before we can launch." Parvati hums, heading to the kitchen.

Zeno groans and rolls over, burying his head into the pillow. 

"Yeah... let's do that."

\----  
Zeno was sitting at the table, in the lab of one Phineas Wells. in front of him lays out all the plans to help the people of The Hope. As well as plans for a future, everything from building a basic medical center to helping with farming. It was all there, he just had to decide how to get these plans to the public.. without angering the board.

It was a very delicate situation.

He briefly thought about just releasing the information, but decided against it. They would try to kill him; of course they would kill him.

And how would that solve anything? Just releasing the information wouldn't solve the problem, it would just cause a bigger mess. then he would just be remembered as the guy who caused a bloodbath.

As he was deep in thought, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Zeno."

He turned to look at the man who never left his side since the day they met.. the man from his dream earlier.. Vicar Maximillion DeSoto. Vicar Max.. The man he was crushing on.. from day one.

"Hey Vicar."

Max smiled at him "Do you have the plans?"

"Yeah, I got them. but..."

"But?"

Zeno looked down to the ground, and licked his lips, taking a deep breath in "I don't know how to make the plans actually work."

"That's easy."

Zeno looked confused "What?"

"We take the plans to the crew, they work out the details. then we go to the hope, free them and hand the rest over to the people. have them be in charge of their own fate." 

Zeno looked at the man with a awed and hopeful expression "You really think we can do it?"

The vicar smiled at him "I do. I have faith in us."

"Then let's do it."

Vicar smiles and nods at him with a small smile. "You got the firepower? ammo? weapons?"

Zeno nods "all i need is our crew."

Vicar smiles, full of confidence "we'll work out the details with them then"

Zeno nods slowly, rubbing his chin "and what about the board?"

"Let's not worry about them right now, we have more important things to think about."

"But..." 

"Just trust me Zen, please."

Zeno nods slowly, shocked at the new nickname, before smiling "i always do."

Vicar smiles and takes his arm, leading him to the door. "Let's go save your daughter. captain" he says with a smile.

The two leave the room and head to find the rest of the crew.

\-----

Zeno smirks, taking a a glass of Rizzo's Purpleberry wine and raising it in a toast "Here's to freedom. and to my amazing crew.. and to Vicar Max."

The group raises their glasses and drinks "To freedom! To the vicar! May he have good health~"

The vicar laughed rolling his eyes. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment, but I'm used to it."

The group all laugh again, as they all enjoy their time together. It's times like this, laughing and enjoying themselves, that the group starts to resemble more of a family than just a group of people with similar interests.

Zeno found himself standing. exiting the messhall and heading off of The Unreliable to get some fresh air.. The smell of byzantium was strong but it reminded him of earth.. He looked around, of course the others were outside too. He waved to them as they waved back and cheered.  
As he was walking he thought about the future.

Would the ship continue to fly under the name of the Unreliable? Would they all remain together?  
As he was pondering these things, he heard a cough behind him.

He turned around and saw Max.

"You look lost in thought." the vicar said.

"Just thinking about the future. I mean, this is just the beginning right?"

The vicar nods slowly. "Yes, the beginning of something new." He stepped next to the captain, lacing their hands together cautiously. "The future is uncertain, but together we will do something amazing. I know it. after all. Zeno. you are our captian. the heart and soul of this ship.

Zeno smiled, raising an eyebrow "Don't go praising me yet, max." 

"I'm not, I'm just speaking the truth... you truely are.."

"Well, ...damn.. thats really sweet.."

The vicar smiles at him, before speaking again "So, tell me about your daughter." He smiles warmly, gesturing for Zeno to join him in sitting. under the light of the stars.  
Zeno did so, telling the vicar about Eliza.. about her eyes, her smile, everything. 

The vicar watched him talk, eyes full of love, he smiled softly at his captain. "And she's staying with parvati and junlei after this?" he asked gently

"yes.. I.. After everything.. I know they will keep her safe.. i was never able to..." his voice broke, and he looked down, taking a deep breath, trying to recompose himself.

The vicar put his hand on Zeno's shoulder, squeezing it affectionately "I know Zen, I know.. but you have to keep strong. She needs her father."

Zeno looked up, smiling weakly "..you always know what to say..." 

The vicar returned the smile, squeezing his shoulder once more "Zeno, your daughter needs you. you are the light on her path. you must teach her about the new ways of life.. and.. perhaps i can help you do that."

Zeno's face turned serious "you can help me do that?"

The vicar nods "I know a few things about the ways of the new world, we can teach her together." 

Zeno felt a surge of emotion, tears welling up in his eyes "Oh, Max, thank you!" he cried softly, hugging the 'older' man. 

The vicar hugged him back "Just think, my friend, our daughter will have the guidance of a true captain, and a vicar who lost his religion." he laughed softly.

Zeno wiped away a tear with a wet laugh "Yeah, we'd be quite the pair of parents."

The two laughed together, and the pair talked for many more hours. about everything and anything. but eventually the conversation ended and they returned to the ship and falling into their beds, drifting asleep with the knowledge that tomorrow would be a new beginning.


End file.
